Container capping machine



March 15, 1938. H. E. RUE ET AL 2,111,155

CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1933 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 15, 1938.

H. E. RUE ET AL CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE Ffiled Npv. 16, 1933 8 Sheets -Sheet 2 L ,5 N m w A March 15, 1938 H. E. RUE ET AL CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 16, 1933 fiv'fRs I BY 1 ATTORNEYS March 15, 1938. H. E. RUE ET AL CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 16, 1955 March 15, 1938. H. E. RUE ET AL 2,111,155

CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE Filed No v. 16, 1933 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 A'i'ToRNEY 5 March 15, '1938. H. E. RUE ET AL CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE 8 Shaw-Shut 6 Filed Nov. 16, 1953 A ORNEY5 H. E. RUE ET AL- CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE March 15, 1938.

Filed Nov. 16, 19s; 8 Sheefs--Shget 7 M ATTORNEYS H. E. RUE ET AL CONTAINER CAPPING MACHI NE March 15, 1938.

Filed Nov. 16, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 15, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CAPPING MACHINE Harold E. Rue, West Orange, Albert F. Pityo, Clifton, and Jonas Jonassen, Maplewood, N. J., assignors to Hoffman Beverage Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 16, 1933, Serial No. 698,296

28 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for applying ,caps or the like to containers and has particular reference to machines for applying flexible hood caps over the mouths or closures of bottles containing beverages or other products commonly distributed in bottles.

It is common practice to enclose the mouth or closure of bottles containing liquids, such as milk, cream and the like, with flexible paper hoods to 10 prevent contamination of the mouths of the bottles as the result of handling, and these hoods are applied in various ways, such as by rendering the hood plastic with heat and forming it around the mouth and neck of the bottle, by means of an adhesive, by securing the skirt of the hood around the neck of the bottle with tie means, or by em- "ploying combinations of these methods. The plastic and adhesive hood-applying methods are well known, and the tie method includes the use of separate fastening means for securing the skirt of the hood around theneck of the bottle, these tie means including wires, bands, collars, clips, staples and the like. It is with the tie meth- 0d of applying hoods to bottles that the present invention is concerned, and, in particular, a method in which wire staples are employed for securing the skirt of the hood around the neck of the bottle.

In accordance with the invention, the blank for the hood is fed over the closure or mouth o'fvthe bottle, and'folding fingers actuated by movement of the bottle, fold the edges of the blank against I the neck of the bottle to form the skirt of the hood, which accordingly overlies the neck of the bottle and includes pleats or tabs overlapped or gathered to conform to the reduced diameter of the bottle neck, These tabs are secured in the gathered or overlapping relation by appropriately spaced wire staples driven through them and clinched against the surfaces of corresponding upwardly turned edges of alternate tabs overlying the bottle neck, the tines of the staples being directed toward each other or partially clinched before they are driven through the skirt of the hood so that they are, in 0 effect, self-clinching and will not spread apart because of the curvature of the neck of the bottle, as would naturally result if the tines of the staples were not initially partially clinched.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention,.

the hood blanks provided with skirt tabs are fed in strip form to the hood-applying head and are severed from the strip by cutting mechanism synchronized with the other operations of the machine. A bottle is placedon aplatform by feeding means or by hand, and the platform is raisfi by are released by a cam and momentarily encircle the neck of the bottle to properly center it with respect to the hood blank. Further elevation of r the bottle causes it to clamp the hood blank between its upper end and a plunger, and substantially simultaneously a series of alternately acting double folding fingers are brought into engagement with the tabs of the blank to fold them in alternately overlapping relation into a skirt overlying the neck'of the bottle and simultaneously turn up the lower edges of alternate tabs to serve as staple-clinching anvils. The overlapping tabs of the hood skirt are then simulta-' ncously engaged by a circular series of stapling devices, which cut proper lengths of wire, form them into staple shape having inwardly turned partially clinched tines, and drive the staples through the skirt tabs with their inwardly turned tines engaging the upwardly turned edges of the corresponding tabs, which are supported by the bottle neck and accordingly act as anvils to complete the clinching of the staples between the hood tabes and their upwardly turned edges. The staples do not engage the neck of the bottle and consequently cannot tear, scratch, or otherwise mar the surface covering of ,the neck of the bottle, such as metal foil, or the like. Since, with the present machine, the staples are effectively and properly clinched within the hood without the use of a separate clinching anvil or the like, the skirt of the hood is tied more tightly around the neck of the bottle than is possible when a separate clinching anvil is inserted between the hood and the surface of the bottle neck, no matter how thinthe anvil may be, so that the hood must be mutilated before it can be removed and tampering can be readily detected.

After the bottle has been fitted with the hood, the platform is lowered by the actuating cam to withdraw the finished bottle from the hood-applying head and the finished bottle is removed from the platform and replaced with a new one. Preferably a number of the hood-applying heads are mounted on a rotating spindle for multiple operation, bottle conveying and transferring means placing bottles on and removing them from the platforms. Safety means is associated with each head which responds to absence of a' bottle on the platform to prevent operation of the hood-applyand other bottles and containers with great speed and effectiveness and can be associated with existing high-speed container capping, filling, foiling, and other machines, without material change of either machine to perform the additional step of providing the containers with sanitary hoods.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the new hoodor cap-applying machine of this invention, as seen along the line of FigureA;

Figure 2 is an exterior view of the upper portion of the machine, shown partially in section;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections through the hood blank feeding mechanism, as seen along the lines 33 and 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the hood blank feeding mechanism, as seen along the lin 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 illustrates a development of the hood;

Figure '7 is a plan view of the bottle centering mechanism, shown partially in section, as seen along the line 1-1 of Figure 8;

Figure 8 is an axial section through one of the hood applying heads and illustrating the centering and blank feeding mechanisms;

Figure 9 is an axial section through the hoodapplying mechanism;

Figure 10 is a section through the hood blank feeding mechanism, as seen along the line |8--|0 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 illustrates the hood blank feed slide mechanism as seen along the line of Figure 10;

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate the action hood folding fingers;

Figure 14 is a section through one of the folding fingers, as seen along the line |4--l4 of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a horizontal section through the stapling mechanism, as seen along the line |5|5 of Figure 9; e

. Figure 16 is an enlarged top view of .one' of the stapling devices prior to the staple-forming operation;

Figure 1'1 is a similar view showing one step of the staple-forming operation;

Figure 18 is a section through the stapling device, as seen along the line |8-l8 of Figure 17, and illustrates the wire-gripping action;

Figure 19 is a longitudinal section, as seen along the line'|9--|9 of Figure 1'1, and illustrates the staple-forming action;

Figures 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 illustrate the various steps in the staple-forming and driving operations; and

. Figure 25 illustrates a completed hood on a bottle.

In these drawings, numeral 30 designates the bed-plate of the machine on which is mounted the central spindle or column 3|. Journaled on bushings 32 at opposite ends of the column 3| of the is a tubular sleeve 33 having a worm-wheel 34' at its lower end, which is driven by a worm 35 connected to a suitable source of power, not shown. The weight of the sleeve-33 is supported by a ring 38 secured to its upper end and resting upon a thrust bearing 31 seated on a shoulder adjacent the upper end of column 3|. Keyed upon the outer surface of sleeve 33 so as to rotate therewith is a carriage 38, the weight of which is supported by a collar 39 integral with sleeve 33. I

Splined upon the upper end of sleeve 33 is ried by the ring 43 rotating with sleeve 33.

leading pairs of bottle-gripping fingers 65 of each spider 40, the lower end of which is supported by a threaded collar 4|, carrying the worm-wheel 42 and resting upon the ring 43, which in turn is supported by the carriage 38. The wormwheel 42 is engaged by worm 44 so that the former, with sleeve 4|, may be rotated relatively to the spider 40, so as to raise or lower it with respect to the carriage 38. The spider 40 carries a plurality of hood-applying heads 45, four being shown, each of which includes a bell 46 which carries the majority of the mechanism comprising the head' 45. The spider 40, with its hoodapplying heads 45, rotates with the sleeve 33 about the center column -3| Supported upon bed-plate 30, is a cam drum 41 carrying crown cam 48 which is engaged by the rollers 49 of a plurality of slides 50, which correspond in number and position to the capping heads 45 and-which are slidable in suitable guides upon the outer surface of carriage support for the bottle 13 to which a hood is to be applied. The bottle B is illustrated as a. beverage bottle provided with a wrapper with which the hood cooperates to form a completely closed package, but it is to be understood that the bottle may be unwrapped, such as a milk bottle or the like,

Mounted adjacent the first station of the hoodapplying machine of this invention is a bottle transfer mechanism 58, which transfers bottles to be hooded from a conveyor 59, or the like, receiving the discharge from a capping, filling, corking, or like, machine. The bottle transfer mechanism 58 includes a spindle 59 journaled on bed-plate 30 and carrying a worm-wheel 60 which is driven by a worm.6l connected to a suitable source of power. The upper end of spindle 59 carries a series of sets of bottle-gripping fingers 82 of conventional design, which are actuated by the cam 63 carried by the upper end of the housing 64 of the spindle 59, andarranged to actuate the bottle-gripping fingers 62 in such a way that bottles are removed one at a time from conveyor 59' and transferred to one of the bottle supports 5| of the capping machine of this invention, the transfer mechanism 58 moving in synchronism with the corresponding hood-applying head 45.

Cooperating with the bottle-gripping fingers 62 of the transfer mechanism 58, is a plurality of sets of bottle-gripping fingers which are car- The set are secured on a pin 66 journaled on a bracket 81 on ring 43 and carrying at its lower end a crank 88 which engages the crank 69 on the upper end of a pin 10 which is journaled in carriage 38. The lower end of pin 10 is provided with a crank 1-| carrying a roller 12, which follows the contour of a stationary cam 13 mounted on the upper surface of cam drum 41.

The contour of cam 13 is such that as one of the bottles B is placed upon the bottle holder 5| by transfer fingers 62 of transfer mechanism 58, it B embraced by the bottle-holding finger 65, the

leading pair of which is moved into engagement with the leading surface of the bottle B, whereby the latter is positioned between these fingers and the stationary pair of fingers 65 in accordance 5 with the movement imparted to the leading fingers 65 by cam I3. Each bottle B received by the capping machine is firmly held against lateral displacement on the bottle support 5| by the fingers 65 while it is carried through the machine, 10 the cam I3 againactuating the fingers 65 to release the bottle B after the hood has been applied thereto.

The contour of crown cam 48 is such that immediately after a bottle B is received by bottle 5 support 5I, the corresponding slide 58 is raised so that the bottle B is brought into position for cooperative relationship with the corresponding capping head 45, in the manner illustrated in Figure 8. At approximately the same time, a 20 stationary cam I5, mounted on a gear I6 carried by the upper end of column 3|, actuates' a' lever 11 mounted on the upper end of a pin I8, journaled in spider 48, as shown especially in Figure 2. The lower end of pin 18 carries a lever 25 I9, which normally holds pawl 88 in the dotted position indicated in Figure 7. Pawl 88 is connected to a centering mechanism supported by bell 46, which includes a stationary ring 8I slidably mounting the ring gear 82, which carries 30 the pawl 88 and is urged in a clockwise direction,

as seen in Figure 7, by the plunger 83 engaging an-abutment 84 thereon under the. influence of a spring 85 seated within a recess-in stationary ring BI. Pivoted at equally spaced points on 2 ring M are three centering fingers 86, the inner ends of which are provided with pads 81 shaped to the. contour of the neck of the bottle adjacent the bead D thereof, as is illustrated in Figure 8. The outer ends of centering fingers 86 are pro- 4 vided with gear segments 88 which mesh with the teeth of ring gear 82.

Asthe bottle B is elevated to the position illustrated in Figure 8, cam I5 releases lever I9 so that the spring'85 urges the pads 81 of centering .15 fingers 86 into engagement with the neck of bottle B so as to resiliently embrace the latter to center the bottle with respect to the plunger 14 of the head 45. The action of this centering mechanism is illustrated in Figuresfl and 8, and is only mo- 50 mentary, the cam 15 immediately returning lever I9 to the dotted position illustrated in Figure 7, whereby it reengages the pawl 88 to rotate gear 82 in a counter-clockwise direction and withdraw centering fingers 86 from engagement with 5 the neck of the bottle B to the normal disengaged position, illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure '7,

so that the bottle B may be elevated further.

Overlying the upper end or cap C of bottle B, as it is being centered by the centering mecha- 60 nism just described is a hood blank E which is illustrated in Figure 6. erably comprises four broad, long tabs 89, the lower edges 98 of which are scored for folding inwardly against the inner surface of the tab 89. Interposed between the broad tabs 89 are short and narrow tabs 9| which are connected to the broad tabs 89 by gussets 92, while the octagonal center 93 of the cap E, defined by scored creases, is of a size corresponding substantially to the 70 mouth or crown cap C of the bottle B; Preferably one of the tabs 89 is provided with a finger piece 94 and tearing lines 94, whereby the hood may be torn from the bottle. The hood blanks E are connected together in a strip 95 which is fed inter-" 75 mittently downwardly from an overhead reel feed- This hood blank E pref ing mechanism 91 through guides 96 to guides 96' where they are advanced to properly centered position with respect to the mouth, cap, or upper end of the bottle B by feed mechanism acting in synchronism with the overhead feed mechanism. These mechanisms operate after each hood-applying operation to supply a hood blank E to the capping head 45 for application to the next succeeding bottle, the cap being also severed from the strip by suitable mechanism to be described along with the hood blank feeding mechanisms. Suffice to say for the time being that a hood blank E lies in the guides 96 in readiness for cooperating with a bottle being elevated against its lower surface.

Normally splined in mesh with gear I81 and journaled on spider 48 so as to roll around the gear 16, as the spider rotates, are four pinions- I88 arranged to be clutched to and declutched from gear I6 for placing the mechanism of the corresponding capping head 45 into and out of operation. This pinion I88 is normally held in raised position by coil spring I88 encircling its sliding shaft I28, and illustrated in Figure 9. As cam 48 continues to raise bottle B, with the severed hood blank E clamped between the bottle top or cap C and the rod I4, the latter actuates lever I I9 pivoted on spider 48 and connected intermediate its ends to pinion I88, as is illustrated in Figures 1 and 9. This pinion is slidable on jack shaft I28 and is moved downwardly by the action of rod I4 into engagement with gear I6 to drive gear M1; at the same time roller I I9 is raised from the notch I23 of cam I22. Cam I22 holds lever H9 in the elevated position until gear I 81 makes a. complete cycle, after which the roller. II9 drops into the notch, disengagingpinion I88 from gear I6 andlocking gear I8! until rod I4 is actuated by the next bottle. The clutching action and consequent operation of the capping head 45 are delayed until the proper time by cam I22, which is when the bottle has been elevated by cam 48 to a position near theend of its stroke.

The inner end of lever H9 is extended and carries a roller I89 cooperating with stationary cam I89 mounted on gear I6, as is illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. This cam is opposite the notch I23 in cam I22 and insures that, after completion of each operation of the capping head, roller 9' drops into the notch I23 of cam I22 to disengage gear I88 from gear-I81. Accordingly, if spring I88 should fail at any time, due to breakage or the like, cam I89 will disengage gear I88 at the proper time to prevent the capping head 45 from continuing to operate out of synchronism with the movement of the bottles with the liability of breakage of bottles or mechanism. Also, if no bottle is in position on bottle support .5I, rod I4 will not be elevated and the pinion I88 will remain declutched from gear I6 and the hoodapplying mechanism will not be operated.

In addition to actuating clutch driving gear I88,

the elevation of rod I4 by bottle B also causes movement of lever I43 about its pivot I44 to engage roller I 45 at its free end withstationary cam cup-shaped frame I48 on which is telescoped the reciprocating tube I49, as is shown especially in Figure 9. Slidable onrod- I4 Within frame I48 is a collar I58 resiliently urged toward disc I41 by means of-compression coil spring I58. The upper end of tube I49 is threaded to a second tube I5I separated from the interior of rotating sleeve I24 by the bushing I52 and carries at its upper end a collar I53 to which is connected one end of a lever I54 pivoted at I55 on spider 48 and having a roller 156 at its free end which follows the contour of a stationary cam I51 as the spider rotates. The cam I51' controls the axial position of tube I49.

Seated in the groove of collar I58 of tube I49 are the ends of several bell crank levers, alternate ones of which are longer than the remaining levers. Long bell crank levers I59, of which there are four in number, are adapted to cooperate with long tabs 89 of the hood blank illustrated in Figure 6; whereas the short bell crank levers I68 are adapted to cooperate with the short tabs 9| of the hood blank, as is illustrated in Figures l2 and 13. These bell crank levers are pivoted on frame I48, as is illustrated in Figures 9,

' 12, and 13.

The short bell crank levers I68 are fitted with side flanges I6I between which is a swinging block- I62 pivoted on the lever I68 and urged inwardly about its pivot by a spring I63 engaging a plate I63 secured to the rear surface of block I62, as is illustrated in Figures 13 and 14. The spacing between the flanges I6I is slightly greater than the width of the corresponding short tab 9I of the hood blank E, so

that the latter is embraced thereby and prevented from being laid askew on the bottle neck as the block I62 presses it down upon the bottle neck.

Each long bell crank lever 159 is provided with a resilient folding finger I64, the tip of which is curved rearwardly so that the finger will smoothly apply the corresponding long tab 89..

Associated with each folding finger I64 is a hook finger I65 pivoted on a downward extension I48 of frame I48 and having a rearwardly extending lug I66 which is engaged in a notch I61 in the lower end of a pin I68 slidable in frame I48 and carried by tube I49 so as to reciprocate therewith. The hook finger I65 is provided with two hooks forming the slot I69 which is adapted to receive and upwardly and inwardly turn the edge 98 of the long tab.89 of the hood blank E.

As the bottle B rises further with the severed hood blank E clamped between its upper end or cap C and the disc I41 of rod 14, as is illustrated in Figure 8, the collar I58 is raised thereby to swing the folding fingers I62 and I84 toward the neck of'the bottle B to fold the corresponding tabs downwardly upon the neck of the bottle to form the skirt of the hood; the longer folding fingers I64 engaging the corresponding long tabs 89 first to fold them down, while the shorter folding fingers I62 subsequently engage the short tabs 9| to fold them on top of the under-folded portions of the long tabs 89 with the flanges I6I laying them straight.

Immediately prior to the inward movement of corresponding long finger I64, cam I51, by means of lever 154,. lowers tube 'I49I5I- and pins I68 to move the corresponding hook fingers I65 inwardly to engage the lower edge 98 of each corresponding long tab 89 with its slot I69 and fold it inwardly and upwardly, as indicated in drawn from corresponding long tab 89, in the I manner indicated in Figure 13, while long finger I64 and fold the short tabs 9| downwardly to overlap the edges of the adjacent long tabs 69, as is indicated in Figure 13.

After the hood skirt has been formed around the neck of the bottle by the interfolding of the tabs of the hood blank E, in the manner described, the fingers continue to hold the skirt tightly around the neck of the bottle while the stapling operation takes place.

Four stapling devices are provided for each hood-applying head 45, and one of these stapling devices corresponds to each of the four short tabs 91 of the hood blank E. These stapling devices are indicated at I18 in Figures 1, 8, 9, and 15, and are illustrated in detail in Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19. Each stapling device includes a block or base I, secured to the bell 46 of the corresponding hood-applying head 45.

Journaled in the block "I and extending upwardly therefrom is a shaft I12 fitted with a pinion I13 which meshes with one of the four mutilated gears I25, I26, I21 or I28 keyed to the lower end of revolving sleeve I24, as is illustrated in Figure 9. For example, the pinion I13 of the right-hand stapling device I18, illustrated in Figure 9, meshes with lower mutilated gear I25, while the pinion I13 of the left-hand stapling device I18, meshes with mutilated gear I21, and the pinions of the other two stapling devices, not shown in Figure 9 but illustrated in Figure 15, mesh with mutilated gears I26 and I28, respectively.

Mutilated gears I25 to I28, inclusive, are provided with toothed segments of approximately and the segments of the several gears are spaced 90 apart, so that the four stapling devices I18 are operated simultaneously, despite the fact that they are spaced 90 apart, as indicated in Figure 15. The construction of the four stapling devices is identical, as is their operation, and

consequently a description of the operation and construction of one of them will suffice.

Referring to Figure 16 of the drawings, the lower end of shaft I12 is fitted with a pinion I14 which meshes with a Geneva gear I15 journaled on block or base "I, and carrying friction roller I 16, as shown especially in Figure. 17. Pivoted at I11 on block or base "I is a lever I18 on which is journaled a friction roller I19 cooperating with friction roller I16, as shown in Figure 17'. Boiler I19 is normally urged into contact with roller I16 by a spring I88 interposed between lever I18 and base "I, as shown in Figure 17. The end of the lever I18 adjacent its pivot I11 is provided witha horn I8I adapted to be engaged by a cam I82 fixed on shaft I12 so that as the latter rotates, cam I82 periodically engages horn I8 I to disengage friction roller I 19 from driven friction roller I16 to stop the intermittent feed of the staple wire from reel I83 through thimble I84 into guide tube I86 which leads to a second thimble I81 at the front end of the stapling device, as shown in Figure 17. Thimble I 81 leads into an elongated slot I88 formed in stapling device block or base "I, and the intermittent feed provided by the Geneva gear-driven feed rollers I16 and I19 causes periodic advance of the end oi .the wire into engagement with the far wall of 75 slot I88, which, accordingly, acts as a measuring gauge for determining the length of the wire to be severed to form the staple. The rollers I16 and I19 overadvance the wire slightly so as to spring it slightly to insure that it will be the right length and not short.

slidably mounted within slot I88 is the cutter and forming slide I89, the lateral edge of which, as seen in Figure 18, carries a blade I89 to sever the wire extending across the slot I88. Slidable in a slot in the slide I89 is the staple driver I90, having grooves of substantially semicircular section in its lateral sides cooperating with corresponding grooves on the inner walls of the slide I89. Slide I89 is connected by link I9I to a crank pin I92 in shaft I12, while driver I is connected by link I93 to crank pin I92 so that slide I89 initially advances beyond driver I90 but is retracted while driver I90 still advances.

Pivoted at one end on the base I1I with its other end urged into slot I88 by spring I94 is initial forming arbor I 95 with which the grooved end of driver I90 cooperates to hold the center of the severed wire length while slide I89 bends the ends thereof forwardly around the sides of arbor I95 to form a staple of U-shape, the tines of which lie in the grooves in the inner walls of the slide I89, as is illustrated in Figure 20. The end of arbor I95 is lifted out of slot I 88 by engagement of its lower sloping surface by the nose of the advancing driver I90, which then holds the rear end of and advances the staple further along the grooves in the inner walls of slide I89 into the bending jaws I96, in the grooves of which the tines of the staple are flared outwardly, as

shown in Figure 21.

Extending upwardly between the jaws I96 is the nose I91 of a final-forming, spring-pressed arbor I98, which is'piv'oted at I99 in the block I H for downward swinging movement. The nose of the arbor I91 conforms to the outwardly flaring grooves of the jaws I96 and the tines of the staples are driven between these jaws I96 and the nose of arbor .I91 so that they are spread apart and the tips thereof are simultaneously curved toward each other. The cam-action of the advancing driver forces the arbor I91 from between the jaws I96 and the freed staple is ad-' vanced by driver I90 between the narrower tips of jaws I96, which accordingly again bend the tines of the staple into substantially parallel relation with their tips curved toward each other in partially clinched condition before being presented to the hood, as is illustrated in Figure 22 at S.

As the slide l89 advances, a spring 200 carried thereby is pressed against a pawl 20I, projecting into the wire thimble I81 (Fig. 18) to block or base I1I of the stapling device, and as the slide I89 advances, lateral extensions 202 thereof engage the rear ends of the jaws I96 and project them into engagement with the lower end of corresponding hood blank tab 9I, immediately beneath the end of corresponding short folding finger I62, which is made short for the purpose of providing the necessary clearance for the stapling device jaws I96, as is illustrated in Figures 1 and.13. As is indicated in Figure 15, the long folding fingers I60 lie between the stapling device I10 and do not interfere with their operation but continue to hold down long tabs 89 during the stapling step. The four jaws I96 of the corresponding four stapling devices simultaneously engage the corresponding hood tabs 9I so as to substantially encircle the neck of the bottle B in the manner illustrated in Figure 15, whereby the skirt of the hood is moulded into 'close conformance with the neck of the bottle before the partially clinched staples are driven through the hood to tie it securely in this condition.

The partially clinched pre-formed staple S is" presented to the skirt of the hood for the stapling operation by the forwardly projected jaws I96 of the stapling device I10, the tips of the staple tines engaging the outer surface of the corresponding downwardly folded narrow tab 9I at the relatively sharp angle indicated in Figure 23. Immediately below the narrow tab III are the abutting edges of the adjacent long tabs 09, the lower edges 90 of which are folded upwardly and lie immediately below upon the surface of the bottle B.

From the position indicated in Figure 22, staple driver I90 drives staple S throughthe relatively non-rigid layers 9| and 89 of the hood skirt without deflecting the tines in any way, as is illustrated in Figure 23, until the inwardly turned tipsof the staple tines engage the upturned tab edges 90, which, because they are rendered firm by being immediately backed by the rigid surface of the bottle B, act as anvils and deflect the tips of the tines inwardly toward each other. This inward deflection of the tines is induced by the curvature of the tips thereof produced jointly by arbor I91 and jaws I96, these tips sliding on but not penetrating the surfaces of the corresponding tab edges 90 as they engage the firm smooth surfaces thereof.

Further movement of the driver I90 causes the tines of the staple to clinch completely to the position indicated in Figure 24, the edges of the tabs 89 being drawn toward each other by the movement of the staple tines so that the skirt of the hood tightly embraces the neck of the bottle B in the manner illustrated in Figure 25, and cannot be withdrawn over the flaring bead D without mutilation, so that any tampering with the hood can be readily detected. Accordingly, with the hood applied by the machine of this invention, a tamper-proof package is produced. Displacement of the hood may be readily accomplished by tearing it by liftingthe finger-piece 94 shown in Figure 6.

The simultaneous driving of the four staples S which tie the hood to the bottle is not accompanied by impact but can be described more accurately as being a pressing action, the tines of the four staples penetrating the skirt of the hood simultaneously and then being deflected by eninjury of the bottle neck can take place nor is the surface of the hood skirt mutilated or marred by engagement between it and the staplingdevice jaws I96. Furthermore, in order to. accommodate bottles having oversized necks without breaking them or the stapling devices, the link though if desired, the wrapper of the bottle may be directly stapled to the hood by omitting the upturned edges 99 of the hood, in which case the tines of the staple will penetrate the softer paper wrapper and finally clinch against the surface of the bottle neck.

After the stapling operation is completed, cam 98 again lowers the hooded bottle B from out of the capping head and transfer mechanism, not shown but similar to transfer mechanism 58, removes the completely hooded bottles from their supports SI and transfers them to a conveyor or the like, not shown.

As the hooded bottle is withdrawn from the capping head 95, the paper strip 95 is advanced to provide the head with a new hood blank E in readiness for the next hood-applying operation, and this mechanism will now be described. As was previously mentioned, the hood blank strip 95 is fed downwardly through guide 96 by an overhead intermittent feed mechanism to a second intermittent feed mechanism which operates in synchronism therewith. The overhead feed mechanism includes four driven reels 9'I, drawing the hood blank strips 95 from the supply rolls III], mounted concentric with the axis of rotation of the machine and housed in magazine 98 mounted on the top'99 of the machine.

Each reel 91 is carried by a removable spindle I99 splined in the upper end of an intermittently moving shaft IUI, as is illustrated in Figures 4 and '5. Shaft IIII is journaled in the rotating spider 90 and carries at its lower end a ratchet wheel I02 which is engaged by pawl I99 mounted on one end of double lever I99 journaled on the lower endof shaft IDI, as is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The other end of double lever I99 carries a cam-following roller I95 which engages the edge of a disc cam I06 mounted on the upper surface of a gear IU'I driven by pinion I99 in the manner described, so that pawl I 93 advances reel 91 a sufilcient amount to feed the strip 95 the length of one hood blank E through guide 96 toward the corresponding capping head 95 for each revolution of spider 59. Since there are four capping heads 95, four hood blanks are fed toward the corresponding capping heads during each complete revolution of spider 49.

The magazine 98 contains four rolls I ID of hood blank strips 95, one of which leads to each of the four reels 9? over an idler pulley I I I, as is illustrated in Figure 3. The idler pulley III is carried by levers IIZ pivoted on the shaft of reel Ill and urged in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 3, by spring H3, interposed between one of the levers H2 and the magazine 99, so as to take up slack in the strip 95. In order to hold the hood blank strip 95 on the reel 9'I, an arcuate guide 5 partially encircles the reel 9? and is carried by the lever H6 pivoted at IN on the top plate 99 and adjustable about its pivot ill by a set screw II 8, engaging the magaof teeth 9? which are of such size, shape and location as to lodge behind the projecting lateral tabs 9i of the hood blank strip 95 and thus positively feed the latter step-by-step as the reel 97 rotates step-by-step in the manner described.

In addition to the mutilated gears I25, I26, I27, and I 28, sleeve I29 carries gear I29 and crown cam I39. Gear I29 meshes with and drives a pinion I39 journaled on the bell 95, as illustrated in Figure 10. Pinion I39 is mounted on a shaft I SI journaled in the bell 99 and carrying at its lower end a crank pin I32 fitted with a crosshead I99, slidable in a corresponding slot in lever I39 pivoted at one end on the bell at I35 and connected at its free end to the paper feed slide I36, as is shown especially in Figures 10 and 11.

Paper feed slide I36 carries pivoted feed fingers I31 which engage the hood blank strip 95 behind the laterally projecting tabs 9I, illustrated in Figure 6, so that when the slide I36 is reciprocated by the crank pin I32, as is permitted by the sliding connection between lever I39 and slide I36 (Fig. 10) in a manner readily understood, the hood blank strip 95 is advanced one hood blank length in guides 96 into the center V of the head 95 in position for cooperation with the next bottle to be fitted with the hood. The feed fingers I91, after advancing hood blank strip 95, lodge behind the rearward edges ofthe lateral tabs 9|, so as to prevent the hood blank strip from springing backwardly as a result of its natural resiliency, so that the hood blank is not only advanced to proper position by the fingers I31, but is also held in that position by the fingers I31. A knurled handle I31 is connected to the first of the feed fingers I911 whereby they may be lifted torelease the hood blank strip 95 for adjustment. The movement of the feed slide I36 is synchronized with the step-by-step movement of the corresponding hood blank strip reel 9'I, although a slack is left in the hood blank strip 95 amounting to one or two hood blanks E in length to prevent tearing of the strip in the event that there are any irregularities in cutting of the strip 95. p

As each leading hood blank E is advanced into position for alignment with the top or cap C of the next bottle which is to be provided with a hood, it is automatically severed from the hood blank strip 95 by a moving cutter blade I38, carried by the bell 96 and cooperating with the stationary cutter blade I39 (Figs. 8, 9, and 10). Moving cutter blade I99 is actuated by a rod I40 having a roller I9I at its upper end which follows the contour of revolving cutter cam I39, which is so arranged that, as the leading hood blank of the hood blank strip 95 is advanced and held in proper position with respect to the bottle B by the feed fingers I31, it raises moving cutter blade I38 to sever the hood blank from the hood blank strip 95, the movement of the cutter being synchronized with the movement of the hood blank strip 95. A spring-pressed plunger I82 carried by moving blade I38 clamps the hood blank strip against the upper blade I39, while the blank is being severed therefrom. The cutting of the hood blank E which is retained in the guides 96' is the last operation of the stapling head 45 after the stapling operation and places the head in readiness for the next stapling opera tion.

Although the operation of the machine of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, it will be reviewed. Bottles B, either wrapped or unwrapped, are transferred one at a time by the transfer mechanism 58 from a conveyor 59' or other machine to the bottle supports 5| of the hood-applying machine, as is illustrated graphically in Figure 1. The hoodapplying mechanism rotates continuously in one direction about its center column 3|, and as it rotates the bottle supports 5| are elevated and lowered by stationary cam 48 which the follower rollers 49 of the bottle supports 5| follow.

' The bottles B, held securely on the corresponding bottle supports 5| by fingers 65, are accordingly first elevated by cam 48 into engagement with a severed hood blank E underlying the clamping disc I41 on the lower end of rod 14 in the guides 96'. When the bottle B reaches this elev ited position-it is momentarily held stationary by cam 48, while it is centered with respect to the hood-applying head by centering mechanism illustrated in Figures '1 and 8, which is op-'- erated by lever 19 actuated by stationary cam 15 around which the cam follower 11 rolls as the hood-applying head 45 rotates. Actuation of the centering mechanism lever 19 results in the momentary release. thereby of spring 85 which urges the centering fingers '86 resiliently around the neck of the bottle B, to center the same in the manner indicated in Figures '7 and 8, whereupon cam 15 again actuates lever 19 to withdraw centering fingers 86 for further elevation of the bottle B.

Further elevation of bottle B with the hood blank E-clamped between its mouth, top or cap C and clamping disc I41 elevates rod 14 to swing the end of lever I43 into engagement with cam I46, the contourof which is like that of cam 88, so that as the capping head 45 rotates the bottle is held securely upon its support 5|. This support 5| is not rigid but will recede in the event that a taller bottle than usual is placed thereon, so that there is no danger that the bottle will be broken by being clamped between inflexible supports.

Although the centering device operates in any event, the remainder of the hood-applying mechanism of head 45, including the hood-blank feed, hood-blank severing and stapling mechanisms, does not. operate if a bottle is not in position on the corresponding bottle support 5|, the presence of a bottle being necessary to initiate operation of these mechanisms. Thus, the elevation of the bottle B beyond the place where it picks up the hood blank E, effects the engagement of pinion I88 with gear I81 at a time determined by delayed-action cam I22, which time is after the first hood blank E h as been folded around the neck of the bottle, prior to the stapling operation controlled by pinion I88.

The steps of the hood folding operations are illustrated graphically in Figures 8, 12, and 13, and are jointly effected by the movement of the bottle and by cam I51, the latter controlling the folding under of the ends 98 of the long tabs 89 by means of hook fingers I65. As indicated in Figure 8, the depending folding fingers I62 and I64, in their original position, fold down the respective short tabs 9| and the long tabs 89 toward'the neck of the bottl the action of the fingers I64 preceding becauge they are longer, so that the long tabs 89 ar .folded down first with the edges of the intermediate short tabs overlapping and being guided straight by the flanges |6| in the manner illustrated in Figure However, before these fingers are moved by further elevation of the bottle, the hook fingers I65 are actuated by cam I51 to move inwardly from the position shown in solid line in Figure 8 to the dotted line position to engage the lower edges of the long tabs 89 in the hook finger slots I69 and fold the edges 98 upwardly as seen in Figure 12. Immediately thereafter, as the hook fingers I65 are being withdrawn by cam I51, bottle B raises rod 14 so that disc I41 engages and elevates collar I58 to cause the latter to swing the bell cranks I59 and I68 about their stationary pivots to move the respective long and short fingers inwardly so that they press the corresponding long and short tabs 89 and 9| against the bottle neck with a resilient pressure provided by the natural resiliency of long fingers I64 and by springs I63 of short fingers I62. This arrangement also automatically compensates for variations in size of the bottle necks. Further elevation of the bottle causes the folding fingers to smooth the corresponding tabs into a skirt closely encircling the neckof the bottle, the long fingers I64 creasing the upwardly turned edges 98 of the long tabs 89 against the bottle neck in the manner illustrated in Figure 13, which also shows the hood in position for stapling.

The pinion I88, being normally in splined engagement with stationary gear 16, rolls around the latter as spider 48 rotates and accordingly drives corresponding gear I81, the four pinions I88 coming into action successively in a manner readily understood. This rotation of gear I81 effects rotation of mutilated gears I25, I26, I21 and I28, which initiates the simultaneous operation of the corresponding four stapling devices illustrated in Figure 15. Each of. these devices feeds wire stock from reel I83 through tube I86 across slot I88, which acts as a gauge, while clamp 28I holds the wire as it is cut off by and bent into U-shape around anvil I95 by slide I89, as is illustrated in Figure 20. The anvil I95 is then forced out of the way by driver I98, which advances the staple blank into grooves formed jointly by-jaws I96 and arbor I91 so that the tines are spread apart although the tips of the tines thereof are bent toward each other in the manner illustrated in Figure 21. Arbor I91 is then forced downwardly out of the way by the cam surface of driver I98, as is indicated in Figure 19, and the driver I98 advances the staple blank between the confining jaws I96 which bend the tines of the staple blank back into parallel relation, with the tips thereof being bent toward each other in partially clinched form, as is illustrated in Figure 22.

During the last stage of the staple-forming operation, the jaws I96 are projected forwardly so that they engage the short tabs 9| of the hood skirt, the four jaws closely encircling the neck of the bottle to press the skirt tightly around it. The folding fingers I62 which hold the short tabs 9| down are made short to accommodate the stapling jaws I96 beneath them, while the long folding fingers I68 lie between adjacent stapling devices as is illustrated in Figure 15.

Althoughthe jaws I96 of the stapling device are postively projected forwardly firmly against the bottle necks, they are not rigid, but are allowed a sufiicient degree of resiliency to accommodate oversize bottle necks without breakage. This resiliency is provided by the slot I93 shown in the jaw-advancing link I93 in Figure 17.

The preformed partially clinched staple S is presented to the lower end of the short tab 9| which overlaps the. upwardly turned edges 98 of fore-driving being illustrated in Figure 22. As

was previously explained the partially clinched tines of the staple S are forced through the relatively non-rigid short tab 9| and abutting underlying edges of the adjacentlong tabs 89 until they engage the firm upturned edges 90, which,

backed by the bottle neck, act asv anvils to turn the partially clinched tips of the tines toward each other to complete the stapling operation, as is illustrated in Figures 23 and 24, the staple tines being flattened between the long tabs 89 and their upwardly turned edges 90 in the manner illustrated in Figures 24 and 25.

It will be observed from Figure 23 that the tips of the staple tines lie within the angle defined by the radial lines drawn from .the center-of curvature of the bottle neck to the ends of the crossbar, head, or widest part of the staple S, i. e., the

tips of the staple tines converge at an angle greater than the radial angle of curvature of the neck of the bottle as determined by the head or widest part of the staple, so that they are not deflected outwardly because of the curvature of the neck of the bottle, but turn inwardly because of their partially clinched condition. Thus, each staple is perfect in formation, which is not the case with staples having their tines at right angles to the head or at an angle greater than normal, i. e., so that they lie outside of the radial lines connecting the center of curvature of the bottle neck and'the ends of the head of the staple, or with their tips outside of these radial lines, for the tines of such staples spread and are likely to be deflected in any direction because of the curvature of the neck of the bottle.

After completion of the stapling operation, the jaws I 96 are withdrawn and cam 48 lowers the hooded top of the bottle out of head 45 and it is transferred from the bottle support to a conveyor or the like by a transfer mechanism similar to mechanism 58 and cooperating with cam 13 which opens the gripping fingers 65 at the proper time to release the bottle for transfer by the gripping fingers of the transfer mechanism.

As the bottle is withdrawn from the capping head 45 the hood blank feeding and severing mechanism comes into action, being driven by pinion I08 in synchronism with the overhead hood-blank feeding mechanism, and advancing the hood blank strip 96 with slide I36 and fingers I31 to place a hood blank E in guide 96 in position for engagement by the mouth or cap C of the next bottle to be hooded. After the leading hood blank E is positioned, the cutter cam I30 comes into action to raise blade I38 into cooperation with blade I39 and sever the blank from the strip 95. This is the last step of the operation of the hoodapplying mechanism, and is followed by the action of cams I22 and I09 in lowering the inner end of lever II 9 and raising the opposite end thereof to cooperate with spring I08 in elevating pinion I08 to declutch it from gear I6.

'It will be seen that the new machine of this invention embodies many improvements which provi e the important advantages of high speed opera ion, accuracy, safety, and uniformity, and while a preferred embodiment ofthe invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is I to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby but is susceptible of changes in form and detail within its scope.

We claim: I

1. .In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the bottle, the skirt of the hood so folded including a plurality of layers of hood material, means for holding a partially-clinched staple adjacent the hood skirt, and means for driving said staple through said layers of hood material for final self-clinching against the underlying bottle.

2. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a. bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the bottle and mechanism for driving a staple through the skirt of the hood to secure it around the neck of the bottle, said mechanism comprising means for preshaping a staple with the tines converging, and then driving the staple in that shape through the skirt of the hood for self-clinching against the bottle as an anvil.

3. In a machine for applying a. skirted hood to a bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the bottle and mechanism for driving a staple through the skirt of the hood to secure it around the neck of the bottle, said mechanism comprising means for preshaping a staple with the ends of the tines converging to an angle greater than the radial angle of the curvature of the neck of the bottle, as determined by the widest part of the staple, and then driving the staple in that shape through the skirt of the hood for selfclinching against the bottle as an anvil.

4. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the bottle and mechanism for driving a staple through the skirt of the hood to secure it around the neck of the bottle, said mechanism comprising means for preshaping a staple with the tips of its tines lying within the radial angle of the curvature of the neck of the bottle as determined by the widest part of the staple, and then driving the staple in that shape through the skirt of the hood for self-clinching against the bottle as an anvil.

5. In a machine for stapling the skirt of a hood around the neck of a bottle, the combination of a support, a staple forming device on the support for shaping a staple with the tips of its tines converging in partially clinched ,condition,

means for driving the staple in that shape into the skirt of the hood for final self-clinching beneath the same against the bottle as an anvil.

6'. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the bottle, and mechanism for driving a staple through the skirt of the hood to secure it around the neck of the bottle; said mechanism comprising means for preshaping the staple with the ends of the tines converging in partially clinched form, parallel guides for the tines of the. staple, and means for driving the staple in that form in said guides and through the skirt of the hood for final self-clinching against the bottle as an anvil.

7. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container by means of initially partiallyclinched wire staples, the combination of a support for the container, means for folding a hood over the container to form a skirt around the container, a plurality of substantially radial guides spaced around said skirt for holding the staples, and means for simultaneously driving self-clinching against tially clinching the straight. and mea sald'staples in said guides through the skirt in saidpartially-clinched condition before final 8. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container by means of initially partially clinched wire staples, the combination of a support for a container, means for folding a hood over the container to form a skirt around it, a plurality of stapling devices spaced substantially radially around said skirt each holding a wire staple, and mechanism said devices into proximity to said skirt and actuating said devices to drive the staples through the skirt while insaid partially clinched condition for final self-clinching against the container as an anvil.

9. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the bottle, the skirt of the hood so folded including a plurality of layers of hood material, means for driving a staple, and means for partines of application to the hood skirt by said driving means, for penetration of a portion of said layers before final self-clinchingupon the underlying layers rendered firm by the support afforded by the bottle. 1

' 10. Ina machine for applying a skirted hood to a bottle, the combination of a support for the bottle, means for folding the hood over themouth of the bottle, the skirt of the hood including a plurality of overlapped tabs, means for driving a staple, and means for partially clinching the tines of the staple for penetration of all of the overlapped tabs except the tab next adjacent the bottle neck before final clinching upon said next adiacent tab rendered firm by the support afforded by the underlying surface of the bottle.

11. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the container, said means including devices for upwardly folding the lower edge of the skirtof the hood against the container, mechanism for driving a staple through the skirt of the hood, and means for inwardly deflecting the tines of the staple for self-clinching against the upwardly folded edge of the hood skirt to secure the skirt of the hood around the neck of the container. 1

12. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the container, the skirt of the hood comprising overlapped portions, means for upwardly folding certain of the portions, and

means for driving a staple through the overlapping portions to secure the skirt of the hood around the container. I

13. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the container, the skirt of the hood comprising overlapped tabs, and means for up-'- wardly folding the lower edges of certain of said tabs.

14. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, means for folding the hood over the 'mouth of the container, the skirt of the hood comprising overlapped substantially, radial tabs,

means included in the folding means for engaging the lateral edges of certain tabs to lay them the underlying container..

for simultaneously projectingthe staple prior to its for securing the tabs together around the co ainer.

15. In a machine'for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, means for folding the hood over the mouth of the container, the skirt of the hood comprising a plurality of substantially radially extending members, means engaging at least one lateral edge of said members to lay them evenly on the side wall of the container, and means for securing the members around the neck of the container.

16. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a plurality of fingers for initially folding the hood over the mouth of the container and for subsequently holding the skirt thereof against the container, and stapling means for stapling the skirt around the container while it is being held by said fingers. v

' 17. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, the skirt of the hood comprising substantially radial tabs, means for folding alternate tabs in side-by-side relation over the mouth of the container, means for folding the remaining tabs over the adjacent edges of the said alternate tabs, and means for securing the tabs together in this relation around the container.

18. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, the skirt of the hood comprising substantially radial tabs, means for folding alternate tabs in side-by-side relation over the mouth of the container, means for folding the remaining. tabs over the adjacent edges of the said alternate tabs, and means for driving a staple through the said remaining tabs with the tines thereofipenetrating the said corresponding alternate tabs. I

19. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a'container, the combination of a support for the container, means for positioning a hood over the mouth of the container,a gauge, means for advancing a wire to the gauge and slightly bending the wire to increase its gauged length, means for severing the gauged length of wire, means for forming it into a staple, and means for driving it through the skirt of, the hood to secure the latter on the container.

20. In a machine for applying aclosure to 'a container, the combination of a support for the container, a guide for directing a closure over the mouth of the container, means for feeding a strip of connected closures to the guide, means for feeding the strip to the first means with a slack in the strip between the two means, means for severing the leading 'closure from the strip, and means for applying the severed closure to the container.

21. In a machine for'applying a skirted hood toa container, the combination of a support for the container, 2. guide for a hood blank over the mouth of the container, means for feeding a strip of connected hood blanks intermittently to the guide, means for feeding the hood blank strip intermittently to the first means with a slack in the strip between the means,.means for severing container holders, a rotating support for saidholders, a plurality of closure-applying means on said support and aligned with corresponding container holders, a plurality of closure strip reels mounted in superposed relation on and substantially coaxially with said support for rotation therewith, and means for feeding a closure strip from a corresponding reel to each hood-applying means.

23. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container by means of initially partiallyclinched wire staples, the combination of a support for a container, means for folding a hood over the container to form a skirt around it, a plurality of stapling devices spaced substantially radially around said skirt each holding a wire staple, mechanism for simultaneously positively projecting said devices into proximity to said skirt and actuating said devices to drive the staples through the skirt while in said partially clinched condition for final self-clinching against the surface of the container as an anvil, and means included in said mechanism for compensating for containers of various diameters.

24. In a machine for applying a hood to ,a container, the combination with a support for the container, a head aligned therewith, means for moving said head and said support relatively to each other to aclamping position, means movable into engagement with said container for centering said container with respect to said head and clamping a hood over the top of the container while in said clamping position, said first means then further moving said support to move said container into said head, means independent of said other means for folding said hood over the container, and means for securing the foldedportion of said hood around-said container.

25. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the container, a head aligned with the support, a plurality of stapling devices for securing the skirt of the hood around the neck of the bottle, a source of power for simultaneously operating the devices, a normally disengaged clutch interposed between the source of power and the devices, means for advancing the support to move the upper end of the container into cooperative relation with the head, and means responsive to the advancing movement or the container for engaging the clutch.

26. In a machine for applying a skirted hood to a container, the combination of a support for the containena head aligned with the support, a plurality of stapling devices for securing the skirt of the hood around the container, a source of power for simultaneously operating the devices, a normally disengaged clutch interposed between the source of power and the devices, means for advancing the support to move the upper end of the container into cooperative relation with the head, means responsive to the advancing movement of the container for engaging the clutch, and means interposed between the last named means and the clutch for controlling the operation of the clutch.

27. In a machine for applying a covering to a bottle, the combination of a bottle support, a cov-, er-applying means, said support and means being relatively movable to place the bottle into cooperative relation with the means, centering elements jointly cooperating to embrace the bottle, resilient means normally urging said elements to said closed centering position, mechanism engaging said elements to hold them in retracted position, and means momentarily operative to release said mechanism to permit said elements to embrace and center the bottle.

28. In a mechanism for applying and sealing skirted caps on bottles, the combination of a plurality of cap applying heads, means to rotate said heads about a common axis, means individual to each head to supply a blank of thin sheet material to the corresponding head in position above the mouth of a bottle to be sealed, means for causing relative movement between a bottle and its corresponding head, means associated with each head for folding a portion of the blank into skirt form over the mouth of the bottle, means to seal said cap on the bottle, and means to discharge sealed bottles from said mechanism. HAROLD E. RUE. ALBERT F. PI'I'YO. JONAS JONASSEN 

